Almost every household has an extension ladder with hollow tubular rungs or steps fixed between two parallel elongate members or rails. When using this ladder it is frequently required that the user have some equipment or the like that he or she will be using to do nailing, painting, cleaning or the like. As a matter of convenience some form of arm or arms is required that will support a tray or container. Applicant has provided arms that are slideably and lockably mounted within the hollow rung so that one or both of the arms can be made operational or they may be easily relocated to another hollow rung. One arm can be used by itself but used in pairs is most common. Both arms are fully retracted and locked when in position for transport or storage.
The best prior art known to applicant are U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,693 to Blann in 1978, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,903 to Fazakerley in 1980, U.S. Pat. No. 4,445,659 to LaChance in 1984 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,957 to Lunden Jr. in 1994.
The patent to Blann, "693", teaches a container support that passes completely through the ladder rung for retention. No provision is made for supporting a container on both sides of the ladder at the same time at the same elevation nor is there any provision for storage of the support on the ladder after use. Applicants device in contrast is extremely simple in that one main feature of the invention is an elongate body carrying a friction means to engage the inside of the rung and a torque applying means to cause engagement of the friction means and retain the container. If a container on each side of the ladder is required two such extendable arms are used.
The patent to Fazakerley, "903", teaches an insertable section expandable to frictionally hold the device inserted inside the ladder rung. To the inserted section is pivotally attached a container support and a paint brush support as a unit. As mentioned above applicants device has an elongate body member with friction means mounted thereon which when rotated engages the inside of the rung. The arms of the instant invention will work only for the common "D" type rung or the like since the friction means must be inserted and rotated to engage the circular portion of the rung. A single arm rotated and locked easily holds a large paint container having a handle in a most advantageous position for full access to the paint. A single arm locked in position holding a bracket easily supports a smaller paint can in an easily accessible position at the same elevation if desired.
The patent to LaChance, "659", teaches an adjustable ladder tray that requires pipes slideably received in ladder rungs, a tray clamped thereto and a slideable adjustment linking the tray to the pipes. Applicants device is different in that no two arms are found in two separate rungs, joined and supporting a tray.
The patent to Lunden Jr. "957" teaches a rigid circular first portion to support a tapered container at its top and a second elongate rigid U-shaped portion upturned at a free end and covered by a plastic hard surfaced sleeve and joined to the circular first portion. The second portion is inserted into a tubular ladder rung and retained thereby to support the first portion and container. As previously pointed out applicants simple device can hold a large or small paint container in a most advantageous position on either or both sides of the ladder. Rotational locking of an inserted elongate member is all that is required.